The Predator Ch. 22

"That...that man called today," William Atherton's secretary told Alex. It was clear from her tone of voice that she hadn't enjoyed taking Mel Ott's call. "I told him exactly what you asked me to. He didn't like it, but he said he'd be here in the morning."

Alex had stopped by the Atherton and Son Investment Services office to check if Mel Ott had actually taken the next step in his attempt to blackmail William Atherton. It was the step that would, Alex hoped, lead to Ott's arrest and incarceration.

"Good," Alex said. "If he shows up, we'll get him."

"I certainly hope so," Atherton's secretary said. "The sooner that man is in jail, the better I'll like it. He gives me the creeps." She seemed to realize something. "My goodness! You'll be arresting him right here, won't you? Will...will Mr. Atherton and I be in any danger?"

"As a matter of fact, I was just going to discuss that with you," Alex said. "I believe I've come up with a way of handling this that won't expose either you or Mr. Atherton to danger. I plan to have a female detective fill in for you when Ott's here."

The gray-haired woman looked somewhat relieved. "Shall I call Mr. Atherton and tell him to be here tomorrow morning?" she asked. "He did leave a number where I can reach him."

Alex shook his head. "You don't have to call him. He's already in his office." Seeing the puzzled look on the secretary's face, he smiled. "Look, I'll go into his office and tell him we're doing a run-through of what will happen tomorrow. You come in, as if you're Mr. Ott, all right?"

"How...how did Mr. Atherton get here without my seeing him?" the extremely confused secretary asked. "I-I've been here all day and..."

Alex, grinning, held up his hand to silence her. "I'm going into his office now," he said. "Give me a couple of minutes to explain what we're doing to Mr. Atherton, then you come in."

"All...all right," she said.

Alex walked into Atherton's empty office, went around behind Atherton's desk, and sank into the huge, lush executive chair that sat there. Then he turned the chair around so the high back was to the door. Only the top of his head showed above the chair. He'd noticed the other day that he and Atherton had the same hair color, and combed their hair pretty much the same, too. And he figured Ott wasn't sharp enough to notice the difference anyhow.

A few moments later, the door opened. "Mr. Atherton!" the secretary said. "I had no idea you were here. Why didn't you tell me?" She paused. "Where did that detective go?"

Alex turned around in the chair to face the shocked secretary. "He's right here," he said.

"It...it was you!" she said. "Then Mr. Atherton isn't here?"

Alex nodded. "I don't want to put any civilians in danger if I don't have to. If I fooled you," he said, "I should be able to fool Ott, don't you think?"

"Well, yes," the secretary said. "But...what if you have to talk? You don't sound anything like Mr. Atherton."

Alex smiled. "Our lab technician will be by later today to take care of that," he explained.

"Oh!" the secretary said.

"What time did you tell Ott to be here tomorrow?" Alex asked.

"Eight-thirty, just as you told me," the secretary said.

"My people and I will be here at seven to get things ready," Alex told her.

"I'll come in early to let you in," the secretary said.

"Thanks," Alex said.

He left Atherton's office and drove back to headquarters. He'd just gotten settled behind his desk when Tim Jackman walked into his office.

"How's the investigation into that assault on the woman who lives over on Jenkins going?" Alex asked the young detective.

Tim shrugged. "A deputy sheriff found a car matching the description we got from Len in some woods outside of town," he said. "No prints on it, though. Owner reported it stolen a couple hours before the assault occurred. I got the state police lab to go over it for us. I just talked to them, and they haven't found anything so far."

"To be honest with you, Tim, I'm not surprised," Alex said. "If it was just a random house-break, we'll have to wait until the bad guys hit again."

"I don't know," Tim said. "I'm not sure that's what it was."

Alex didn't, either, but he didn't tell Tim that. He wanted to see how his newest detective thought. "Why not?" he asked.

"Well," Tim said, looking a bit uncertain, "I checked our reports back three weeks. I didn't find a single report where the M.O. was the same."

"That's good as far as it goes," Alex said. "But what if the other times these guys have hit, nobody's been home?"

"I thought about that, too," Tim replied. "But burglars usually want to get in and out as quickly as possible. And most of them case the places they're going to hit pretty carefully so they don't run into their victims." He anticipated what Alex was going to say next. "I know kids sometimes hit places randomly, but these guys weren't kids. They were adults, and the guy outside was a lookout. They even had a signal set up."

"If you're right," Alex said, "Why that house? Is there some reason Mrs. Norris might be a target?"

"I haven't figured that out, yet," Tim said. "Her husband was involved in a DUI crash a while back, and screwed up a lady's life pretty badly. It could be it was somebody looking for revenge."

"But Mrs. Norris is getting a divorce, isn't she? She kicked her husband out, right?" Alex said.

Tim smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, that's true," he said. "It was just an idea. I'm going to go out and talk to Marion again, see if she has any ideas."

Alex smiled. "You're doing good work on this, Tim," he said. "Keep it up."

"Thanks," Tim said, flushing a little. He walked out of Alex's office and back to his desk.

Alex picked up his phone and dialed Jennifer's number. "I have this fantastic gourmet meatloaf recipe I'd like you to taste," he said when she answered the phone. "You interested?"

"I'd love to try it. I love meatloaf," Jennifer told him. Actually, she'd never had meatloaf in her life, but if Alex wanted to make it for her, she wanted to try it. "What time?"

"I'm heading home now," Alex said. "If you're there by six, the meatloaf should be just about ready to come out of the oven."

"I'll see you at six," Jennifer said.

Later that evening, Alex and Jennifer walked toward his house from the barn. After sharing the excellent dinner he made, they went out to the barn so he could show her a woodworking project he was busy with, a re-creation of an oak roll-top desk.

"It's a really nice night. Want to go for a walk?" Alex asked.

"I'd love to," Jennifer said.

As they walked into the woods surrounding his house, Alex took Jennifer's hand.

"I really like being with you, Alex," she said, squeezing his hand.

"I like being with you, too," Alex replied, "but I guess that's understandable, since I'm in love with you."

Jennifer was thrilled to hear his words. It was the first time he'd ever said them to her. "I-I'm in love with you, too, Alex," she replied. "I-I wasn't sure I'd ever say that to anyone after my divorce...or ever have anyone to say it to."

"I know how you felt," Alex said. "For a long time after my divorce I didn't think I'd ever be able to love anyone again."

Alex stopped, turned, and pulled Jennifer into his arms.

Jennifer looked up at him and their lips met. She was acutely aware that somehow, the kiss felt different, weird as that might be. The passion and need she felt for Alex was still there, but there was much more than that, too. For the first time in her life, she was really in love, and had someone who really loved her. She'd begun to think this might never happen to her. Her arms tightened around Alex.

They sank to the forest floor, their hands moving over each other, tugging at clothing, loosening it, striving for contact with the flesh under it. Both of them knew this time things would be different, that it was - somehow - the start of a new chapter of their lives.

"Ohhhhhh!!!" Jennifer murmured when Alex's hand slid under her blouse onto a swelling breast. His fingers teased the nipple into titillating stiffness and need filled her. "I need you, Alex!" she whispered.

"I need you, too!" Alex replied as he continued to strip her clothes from her.

Jennifer lay, nude and beautiful, on a cushion of leaves and pine needles on the forest floor while Alex quickly removed his clothes and moved atop her, his bulky body casting a shadow in the moonlight gleaming on her.

Jennifer sighed and, trembling, awaited his entry.

Alex grasped his erect cock and placed it between the lips of Jennifer's vagina. Then, he lowered himself slowly and Jennifer, who'd had experienced so many wild new experiences with him in the past few weeks, had another one. She was being filled and possessed by a man who loved her, and who she loved in return. All of what she'd experienced before paled by comparison. This was love, what loving someone was all about! Tears flowed from her eyes and rolled down her lovely cheeks.

Alex saw her tears and was concerned. "Is something wrong, honey? I'm not hurting you, am I?" he asked.

"Oh, God, no!" Jennifer replied. "I'm...I'm so happy!!! This is so wonderful!"

Her hips strained off the ground, meeting his invasion and her body quaked from the sensations his probing cock elicited in her. "Ohhhh!!! My darling!!! My darling!!!" she cried as her peak neared.

Alex, too, was suffused with a new and different kind of urgency. He, too, understood that things between them had changed drastically, and it was wonderful! He almost felt like he was making love for the first time and was aware he had little control over his body. Something let loose inside him, his body shook, and his hips began moving even faster.

"Oh, God!!! Jennifer!!!" he cried, and came. What he felt was more delightful than anything he had ever experienced before!

"Yessssss!!! Oh, Alex!!! Yesssssss!!!" Jennifer replied, her orgasm triggered by the powerful splash of his torrid fluids inside her, "Take meeeeeeee!!! Take meeeeeee!!! I...I love youuuuuu!!! I love youuuuuuuuuuuuu!!! I love youuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!"

Later, their clothes back on, they headed back to his house.

"God!" Jennifer said softly, squeezing his hand. "Was that as wonderful for you as it was for me?"

"I think it probably was," Alex replied. "I-I've never experienced anything quite like it."

They went into the house and made themselves comfortable on Alex's sofa.

"How is that case you're working on going?" Jennifer asked. "The one involving Mel Ott."

"I expect to make an arrest in the morning," Alex told her.

"Wow!" she exclaimed. "You really are a good detective, aren't you?"

"Dealing with criminals as stupid as Mel Ott makes it easy for a cop to look good," he responded. "So are you going to tell me about this farm manager you hired? You said he used to work on the farm when you were a kid. He an ex-boyfriend, or something?"

"Don't tell me you're jealous," Jennifer replied. "You don't have to be, you know. Tom and I were friends. I only knew him for a couple of months then he left. Besides, he's married and has a son Donna's age." When she mentioned Donna that reminded her of how odd the girl had acted the other day.

"That reminds me," she said, "I invited Donna to move out to the farm."

"Good idea, she seems like a nice kid," Alex said. "She like that?"

"Actually, her reaction was a bit odd," Jennifer said. "She seemed really excited at first, then she started acting hesitant and said she had to think about it. She said she had friends in town, and wasn't sure moving to the farm would be such a good idea."

"I can see where she might feel like that," Alex said. "A girl her age probably has an active social life."

"I'm not so sure that's true in Donna's case," Jennifer said. "She usually works a lot later than she has to, and seems to hate going home. It's as if she likes being on the farm more than she likes being in her apartment. And she never talks about boys she's dating. If she really doesn't have an active social live, then why didn't she jump at the chance to move out to the farm?"

"She's on probation, isn't she?" Alex said. "Maybe she has to check with her probation officer before she moves."

"That's not what she said," Jennifer replied. "Although I never really thought about that. You don't think it would be a problem, do you?"

"I doubt it," Alex said. "Look, honey, you did all you can do. You can't force her to move out here."

"I know," Jennifer said. "But I still can't quite understand her reaction. And I'm worried about her."

Alex took Jennifer in his arms. "How do you feel about breakfast?" he asked.

Jennifer hugged him and giggled. "Yes, I'll stay," she said.

A bit later, Alex lay in his bed, waiting for Jennifer. She told him to get undressed and get in bed, that she had a surprise for him. He couldn't imagine what the surprise could be, but he figured it would be wonderful. He could hear her moving around in the bathroom and wondered what she was up to.

Jennifer had gotten an idea when Alex called to invite her to dinner, an idea that really excited her. In the bathroom she slipped off her clothes, then she opened her huge purse and pulled out a negligee and robe she'd had for a long time, but never worn. Both garments were super-sheer, almost transparent. When she had them on, it was as if she was wearing nothing, really. She was delighted that Alex, the first man she'd ever loved, would be the first one to see her in them.

Alex lay in bed waiting for her, filled with anticipation then Jennifer was standing in the bedroom doorway. He looked at her carefully and suddenly he couldn't breathe. "My...God!!!" he gasped.

Light from the hallway shined through the diaphanous material, displaying highlighting Jennifer's near-perfect body.

Jennifer was elated by Alex's response. "Do...you...you like it?" she murmured.

Alex could barely talk. "You...you are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen!" he whispered.

Jennifer walked to the bed and sat down next to him. "I'm glad you like it," she said. "Now, be a good boy and lay back."

Alex did as he was told, unable to take his eyes off the glorious apparition sitting on the bed next to him. Jennifer slid the covers down then began moving her hands over him, keeping her touch feather-light, teasing him, and tantalizing him.

"Ohhhhhh!!! God, Jennifer, you can't imagine how good that feels!!" Alex whispered as her hands coasted over his body, sending exquisite sensations bubbling through him. Her light touch was everywhere, everywhere, that is, except for his erection that stood rampant, straining toward the ceiling.

Jennifer heard Alex's moans, saw him trembling, and knew how aroused he was, but she remained sitting on the bed and continued her caresses, reducing him to a quivering mass of flesh, groaning and twisting on the bed.

Caressing Alex was also arousing her. At last, unable to keep it up, Jennifer discontinued her caresses, stood up, and slowly let the robe slide off her shoulders and drop to the floor.

Alex, mad with desire, reached out his arms to her. "Please!!! Oh, God, Jennifer, please!!!!" he begged.

Jennifer shook her head. "Not yet, darling," she whispered. She stepped back a step, then slid one of the straps of her negligee off a shapely shoulder. Then the other one. Slowly, clinging to her curves all the way, the filmy garment slithered down over her curves and dropped to the floor.

Alex wanted desperately to jump off the bed, grab Jennifer, and ravish her, but he couldn't move! He knew she was beautiful and desirable before this, but the way she looked at that moment made her look lovelier than he believed it was possible for anyone to look! Again, he reached out to her, groaning softly.

Jennifer could wait no longer. Mustering every bit of self-control she could, she moved slowly back to the bed, climbed onto it, then straddled Alex. She slid her body up his then got to her knees astraddle his hips.

Alex was nearly overwhelmed when Jennifer's body made contact with his. Fighting for control, he shuddered when he felt her fingers wrap around his erection. He gasped and shuddered even more violently when she lowered her hips and the tip slid between the humid lips surrounding her opening. "Ahhhhhhh!!!" he groaned. "Oh, Jennifer, please!!! Please!!!"

Jennifer, too, shuddered as Alex's hard, throbbing cock moved slowly into her, filling her, thrilling her! Then her pubic hair mingled with his and their pubic bones began to grind together, putting exquisite pressure on her clit. She sat atop him unmoving, for a while, loving the sensations proliferating inside her. Then she started rocking her hips gently.

"Go slowly," she told herself, even though her mind screamed for her to go wild. "Make it last!" She wasn't sure how long she could keep up her gentle motions her body was trembling so violently with need.

Alex couldn't believe how pleasurable Jennifer's actions felt. As the walls of her snug aperture rippled along his rigid pole, glorious sensations coursed through him, filling him with warmth and delight.

Jennifer was almost overwhelmed by the experience she was sharing with Alex. It was wonderful, slow motion delight; joy building at a leisurely pace, touching every fiber of her being as it did!

Then an orgasm like none she'd ever known before began. Instead of being a violent explosion, it was a slow bursting forth of pleasure deep inside her which spread out delightfully, overwhelming her.

"Ohhhhhhhhh!!!! Alex!!!!! I'm...I'm commmmminnnnnngggggggg!!!!" she cried. Once the orgasm began, her body went wild. "So...So goooooddddddddd!!!! So goooooooodddddddddddd!!!! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!"

"Jennifer!!!! Oh, Godddd!!!!!" Alex roared, erupting into her like a human volcano.

Jennifer's wild motions finally stilled and she collapsed atop Alex. He held her until she was able to roll off. Snuggled in his arms, she whispered, "I love you, Alex."

"I love you, too, Jennifer," Alex replied.

Then they slept.